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Denver City Council To Vote On $3.3 Million Settlement With Former Inmate

DENVER (AP/CBS4) - Denver city councilors still need to approve a $3.3 million settlement offer to settle abuse claims at the city's jail.

Councilors are scheduled to vote on the offer at their meeting Monday evening.

Jamal Hunter
Jamal Hunter (credit: CBS)

Last week, a federal judge accepted the deal to settle a lawsuit filed by former inmate Jamal Hunter. He says a deputy ignored his screams while inmates attacked him and scalded his genital with hot water in July 2011. Cameras captured another deputy choking Hunter 12 days later.

Jamal Hunter 55-8
The alleged attack on Jamal Hunter (credit: Denver Sheriff's Department)

The payout is considered the largest in Denver history to settle a civil rights claim.

"This is a fiscally responsible action taken on behalf of taxpayers, and we understand that the litigation expenses, potential damages and plaintiff's attorneys fees could have exceeded the settlement amount if we went to litigation and if the litigation would have run its course," Denver City Attorney Scott Martinez said on July 22.

Hunter's case is just one of a string of excessive force claims against the sheriff's department. There were so many Sheriff Gary Wilson was asked to step down and several deputies, as well as the assistant city attorney, have been placed on leave.

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